Surface water flooding of Transport for London stations (1)

Caroline Russell: Recent heavy rains have caused closures of Transport for London (TfL) controlled stations, especially on 24 September 2019. Can you list for the last five years: a) what stations were closed due to flooding, b) how long they were closed, and c) the dates they were closed?

The Mayor: The attached appendix shows the Transport for London stations that were closed as a result of flooding over the last five years.
Please note that as well as surface water flooding, this list includes incidents where stations were closed as a result of a third party (such as a burst water mains, or a leak in an adjacent property).

Delay Repay (1)

Florence Eshalomi: Why does London Overground and TfL Rail not offer Delay Repay 15? What plans, if any, do you have for them to offer it in the future?

The Mayor: Delay Repay 15 is a Department for Transport (DfT) initiative that aims to get Train Operating Companies to better provide refunds to customers when services are delayed. Under this initiative, customers can claim a refund and get 25 per centof the fare back.
In contrast, Transport for London (TfL) gives back 100 per centof the fare under its service delay refund scheme.
Whilst TfL continues to find ways to improve the way it gives refunds, there are no plans to introduce the DfT’s Delay Repay 15, which would leave many customers worse off.

Cross-river road pricing

Caroline Russell: Given the existing and forthcoming investments for other charging infrastructure, when could Transport for London (TfL) deliver smart, fair road pricing on river crossings?

The Mayor: As mentioned in my answer to 2019/17400, my current priority for road user charging is to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone to inner London. This will result in enormous benefits for London but will also be a considerable practical challenge. New technologies could offer the potential for more sophisticated models of paying for road use in the longer term but any future proposals, which could include river crossings, would need to be preceded by detailed feasibility work and be subject to consultation. There are currently no plans to charge for all river crossings in London. Plans to charge for the Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnels remain as set out in the Development Consent Order.

Delay Repay (4)

Florence Eshalomi: According to the office of Road and Rail, in 2018-19 TfL Rail closed 9,931 claims for delay compensation, but only approved 74.8% of those claims. Can you give the reasons for not approving 25.2% of the claims?

The Mayor: There are a number of reasons why service delay refund claims are not approved. Transport for London (TfL) is unable to report on the precise reason for each claim decision. Reasons include customers not touching in or out during the delayed journey, and some customers claiming for journeys that do not meet TfL’s refund claim criteria.

London Transport Museum

Caroline Pidgeon: Currently TfL staff and nominees are entitled to visit the London Transport Museum for free. Is this something you would consider extending to staff across the GLA group?

The Mayor: The London Transport Museum is a charity and subsidiary company of Transport for London (TfL). TfL provides grant-in-aid to the Museum of £3.1m this year. This figure has decreased over recent years as Government funding for TfL has become less certain. In order to continue to invest in improving its offer, and in order to fund major work on the roof structure, the museum has had to significantly increase self-generated income through admissions, corporate support, the Hidden London tour programme and trading. This income is vital to support the museums work to inspire more people – and a more diverse group of people – into the transport industry to help close the significant skills gap currently predicted for the future.
In these challenging financial circumstances, it is not possible to extend free admission to the wider GLA staff group.

Compensation for Late Train Journeys

Florence Eshalomi: What steps, if any, are you taking to encourage more people to claim a refund for any delays they experience on London Overground or TfL Rail?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) works hard to ensure customers have all the information they need to claim refunds for delays. Online, customers can find information on refunds and how to claim for a service delay. TfL’s network wide fares publicity campaign encourages customers to claim, and its frontline staff are briefed to let customers know they can claim for refunds.

Delay Repay (3)

Florence Eshalomi: According to the office of Road and Rail (https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/1244/delay-compensation-claims-factsheet-1819-q4.pdf), in 2018-19 London Overground closed 6,461 claims for delay compensation, but only approved 82.1% of those claims. Can you give the reasons for not approving 17.9% of the claims?

The Mayor: There are a number of reasons why service delay refund claims are not approved. Transport for London (TfL) is unable to report on the precise reason for each claim decision. Reasons include customers not touching in or out during the delayed journey, and some customers claiming for journeys that do not meet TfL’s refund claim criteria.

Delay Repay (5)

Florence Eshalomi: According to the DfT’s Rail Delays and Compensation Report 2018 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/751380/rail-delays-and-compensation-report-2018-revised.pdf) the % of passengers claiming for a delay was 29%, which is 15th out of 18 Train Companies. Why do you believe the claim rate is so low?

The Mayor: Public transport in London is characterised by frequent services with a large number of route options. Many customers who are categorised as “not claiming” in a report such as this may therefore not consider themselves to have been delayed, as they have found alternative ways of making their journey in a reasonable time.
Where Transport for London (TfL) knows there has been serious disruption, it proactively refunds customers so they do not even need to make a claim.
TfL provides clear information about claiming refunds, and has a simple online process to raise a claim. Nevertheless, there may be some customers who are unaware they can make a claim, or choose not to.

Surface water flooding of Transport for London stations (3)

Caroline Russell: On 24 September 2019, the sub-surface District and Circle line tube station at Victoria flooded, causing serious disruption. Work to improve Victoria station was completed in autumn 2018 at a cost of over £700 million. Why hasn’t that work addressed flood risks?

The Mayor: The cause of the flooding at Victoria station on 24 September 2019 was not a result of surface water. Initial investigations suggest it was the failure of an anti-flood valve in the staff area.
The cause of flooding is currently being reviewed by engineers, which will be completed by the end of October 2019.
The programme of upgrade works to Victoria Underground station created additional capacity of 133 per cent, through enlarged ticket halls and circulation areas, new passenger tunnels and nine new escalators. The station is also step free with eight new lifts. A number of systems were also upgraded, including drainage, lighting, passenger information, fire systems and CCTV.

Upton Park Station Leaflets

David Kurten: Will you take steps to investigate reports of large numbers of leaflets and flyers advertising ‘adult services’ around the Upton Park Underground Station area and take steps to clean up and improve the general character of the area?

The Mayor: Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Transport for London (TfL) is investigating these reports with the Station Manager, Newham Council and the Metropolitan Police, and will take any necessary action.
TfL monitors and cleans this station on a daily basis, however I have asked them to ensure that this is being carried out to the highest possible standard.

Oyster weekly cap (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: In response to 2019/2085 in February this year, you stated that TfL and rail operators were finalising plans to roll out the weekly cap to London Underground and rail services in Spring 2019. Please can you explain the delay and state when the roll out will happen?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has been technically ready to launch Weekly Capping since December 2018, and did so on Bus and Tram services where TfL is in full control of the fares.
Train Operating Companies are seeking access to more extensive data in exchange for agreeing to the introduction of Weekly Capping for Oyster customers. TfL is working with them to establish a legal basis under which it can share additional data. It will not be possible to confirm a date until this process has been completed and the Information Commissioner’s Office has been consulted.

Delay Repay (2)

Florence Eshalomi: Will Crossrail operate a Delay Repay 15 scheme when it opens?

The Mayor: Crossrail services are part of TfL Rail. See my answer to Mayor's question 2019/19965.

Your priorities for London' consultation

Susan Hall: When are the results of the 'your priorities for London' consultation due to be published, and will you commit to ensuring these will be provided to AMs in advance of the publication of the draft budget?

The Mayor: The results of the ‘Priorities for London’ survey will be provided alongside the Budget Consultation Document. This is due to be issued to Assembly Members no later than 20 December 2019. The results will also be published on Talk London on 6 January 2020, when further public consultation on the draft budget will commence.
Assembly Members will be informed if this schedule needs to be amended as a result of any external changes in circumstances which would impact on the budget proposals.

Jubilee Line (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: Please publish a table, showing for each separate day of July, August and September 2019the actual frequency of trains operating on the Jubilee Line during peak hours.

The Mayor: The Jubilee line is timetabled to deliver 30 trains per hour through Canary Wharf station during the weekday morning and evenings peaks.
The attached appendix provides the frequency of trains at Canary Wharf station from July to September (weekday only).

Jubilee Line (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: It was reported in the Sunday Timeson the 7th April 2019 that Canary Wharf was threatening to sue TfL over what it regarded as a poor Jubilee line tube service, Please publish the response that the Commissioner of TfL sent to Canary Wharf.

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) did not issue a formal response to Canary Wharf Group(CWG) as a result of this article.The following day the article was briefly discussed at a pre-arranged meeting between senior representatives from both organisations covering east London transport infrastructure.This was part of ongoing stakeholder engagement between TfL and CWG.